Whistler company heads into Dragons’ Den

CBC reality show features local business

Two Whistler entrepreneurs will be featured on a new CBC
reality show, The Dragons’ Den.

“It was an
interesting experience,” said Guy Auger, vice president sales and marketing for
Sno-Limo, a company that offers chauffeur driven, gravity-powered sleds, which
can carry people all over a ski hill.

“We had very little control over what is going to show up on
TV, so we are kind of anxious to see how it is going to come across. (On) these
reality shows you never know if they are going to make you look like an idiot
or make you look good.”

Auger is prohibited from saying much about his experience until
the CBC show has aired. The premier of the show ran yesterday, Oct 4. The
Sno-Limo segment will air Oct.11
th
at 8 p.m.

The company was chosen from more than 1,700 applicants across
the country.

Auger made his first pitch at the Four-Seasons Resort in
Vancouver and then went to Toronto in July after being short-listed.

In the Dragons’ Den show budding entrepreneurs pitch everything
from sexy and playful underwear to an innovative technology that can mould
glass without heat. They will try to convince five wealthy Canadian business
executives — the Dragons — that their idea is the next big thing.

In the high-stakes game of all or nothing the candidates must
face a panel of Dragons who will invest up to $1 million of their own cash to
bring dreams to reality for those chosen entrepreneurs.

Auger would not say if his company was a winner.

The Dragons include Robert Herjavec, who sold his IT security
firm for more than $100 million; Laurence Lewin, co-founder and president of la
Senza; Kevin O’Leary, popular host of ROB TV’s SqueezePlay who sold his
educational software firm to Mattel for $3.2 billion; Jim Treliving, a former
RCMP officer who owns Boston Pizza; and Jennifer Wood, one of the most
influential executives in the beef industry. CBC Television’s Dianne Buckner of
Venture
will host the series.

Sno-Limo expects to have up to 30 sleds running this winter on
various resort mountains around B.C. and Alberta. Ten sleds will operate on
Whistler-Blackcomb, with an hour-long tour costing around $90.

Sno-Limos will also be found at Sun Peaks, Big White, and
Sunshine Village, Alberta.

Auger says
discussions are underway with Grouse Mountain in North Vancouver to have the
sleds available there too.